Words by Emma Miller

If you haven’t heard, BENEE just dropped a new single … and it’s a bop.

The New Zealand singer/songwriter just released ‘Snail’ after being locked away in COVID isolation. BENEE’s post-isolation urgency to create music is just what we needed. This single is a mixture of angelic vocals and boppy electronics which will get you grooving in your seat.

According to the artist, during her time in isolation she became fascinated with snails. This interest led her to write this record. She says,

‘When we were in lockdown, I was fascinated by snails. There wasn’t really a lot to be doing, so I would spend a lot of time outside looking at snails and would think about how they’re doing their own little thing and they’re all free. I just played around with the idea of being kind of like a snail and how I come out in the rain. Being stuck inside because of COVID, it’s kind of my lockdown song.’

This video clip is a throwback to pixelated games like Crash Bandicoot and Minecraft.

The 20-year-old Auckland woman has become a popular choice and can be found on everyone’s party list – including our Spotify playlist. In 2019, BENEE was nominated – and won! – FOUR New Zealand awards including Single of the Year, Best Solo Artist, Best Breakthrough Artist, and Best Pop Artist. She has also been nominated in the MTV Europe Music Awards and longlisted on MTV Video Music Awards. To top it off, she made history earlier this year when Apple Music announced BENEE as their first New Zealand Up Next artist. This chick is killing it!

To think BENEE only began creating music in 2017… She has toured her country, played St Jerome’s Laneway Festival all around Australia, and supported Lily Allen in her No Shame Tour in 2019. BENEE has become an inspiration for young and upcoming New Zealand artists and she reminds us all to get up and get a groove on.